A reproducing device, which is used in a disco club or the like by an operator such as a disc jockey, has, as an operating means for performing a cue or a scratch reproduction, a disc-like operating element that can be operated to rotate. This reproducing device detects a rotation direction, a rotation speed, and a rotation variation of the operating element and whether or not the operating element is operated by the operator. Then, it performs a special reproduction according to the detected operation, such as a scratch reproduction (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-343026 (in Paragraph “0082” and the like) and Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-190633).
In configuration for detecting a pressure applied to the operating element by the operator, a plurality of switches are usually disposed circularly below an outer rim of the operating element (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2005-190633). When the operator operates the operating element, the operating element move downward and presses the switch so that the pressure is detected. As the switch, a mechanical switch or a membrane switch is used.
In addition, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-343026 discloses a structure in which a pressure sensing layer made of a dielectric material is provided to a casing, whereby the pressure sensing layer senses a pressure on an outer rim of the operating element.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 2002-343026 describes that a capacitance sensor may be used for detecting a variation in capacitance, though it does not disclose any concretization thereof.
However, those conventional pressure detection methods using the operating element have the following disadvantages. First, if the switch is used for the detection, there may be a difference of operational touch feeling between a part where the switch is disposed and a part where the switch is not disposed or a difference of operation feeling due to a difference of a stroke (distance between the operating element and the switch) and a click feeling from each other. In addition, age deterioration due to physical contacts is apt to occur, so that there is a fear that detection accuracy cannot be maintained. Further, the structure including the switch causes an increase in cost for manufacturing, for example, a die.
Next, if the pressure sensing layer is used for the detection, the pressure sensing layer and the operating element always contact with each other via a sheet. As a result, deterioration by friction is outstanding so that there is a problem that detection of high accuracy cannot be maintained. Therefore, it is not practical. In addition, similarly to the case of using the switch, there is a restriction in designing the entire apparatus because the pressure is detected by a positional relationship between the operating element and the casing.
From this viewpoint, it is preferable to apply a capacitance sensor (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-258090) to the operating element so that the operating element itself can detect the pressure, because the age deterioration due to the physical contacts hardly occur. In addition, flexibility in the designing may increase, and the manufacturing cost is low.